Reuven Rivlin demands return of two detainees; Holy See calls for ‘mutual respect’

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin (Photo by Government Press Office Israel)

Nearly four months after Israel passed its controversial Nation State Law, which critics have likened to apartheid, Pope Francis met Israeli President Reuven Rivlin at the Vatican on Nov. 15 to mark 25 years of bilateral ties.

The Vatican, in a diplomatically worded communiqué, said the two sides discussed the “importance of building greater mutual trust in view of the resumption of negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians so as to reach an accord respecting the legitimate aspirations of both peoples.”

Rivlin thanked the pope for opposing all forms of anti-Semitism and said Israel was committed to ensuring religious freedom, The Times of Israel reports.

He said Hamas, the Palestinian Sunni-Islamist fundamentalist organization that rules the besieged Gaza Strip, was “cynically exploiting” those who live in the Palestinian enclave, and vowed to fight fire with fire.

“Israel does not want escalation or to hurt innocent civilians, but will not stand by while Hamas undermines stability and our civilians are harmed,” Rivlin was quoted as saying.

Israel and Palestine experienced the worst violence in four years this month, leading to an Egyptian-brokered truce on Nov. 13 “to restart the situation that prevailed up until this latest military escalation,” according to Al Jazeera.

At least 14 Palestinians have died from ground attacks and air strikes since Nov. 12 in Gaza, which has been under an Israeli-imposed blockade since 2008. Israel’s defense minister, Avigdor Lieberman, resigned on Nov. 14 after billing the ceasefire “a capitulation to terror.”

During his second meeting with Pope Francis after a previous encounter in 2015, Rivlin said Palestine must return two Israeli citizens and the bodies of two soldiers killed during the 2014 conflict before a peace deal can be reached.

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